Geraldine Hart nominated Suffolk police commissioner

Geraldine Hart, the senior supervisory resident agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Long Island office, has been nominated to be Suffolk County’s next police commissioner.

Nominated by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone on Thursday, Hart would replace Tim Sini, the former police commissioner who was elected as the county’s district attorney.

Hart is a 21-year veteran of the FBI, and would be the first woman to serve as the county’s police commissioner.

She is expected to serve as acting police commissioner in April, and the county legislature would vote on the nomination that same month, according to published reports.

“Geraldine possesses the integrity, competence, and excellence that we are looking for in someone to lead the Suffolk County Police Department,” Bellone said in a statement. “As our next Police Commissioner, she will bring a fresh perspective and build on the progress that we have made over the last two years.”

Hart said she was “honored for the opportunity to serve the residents of Suffolk County and privileged to serve with the brave, hardworking men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department. I am extremely optimistic about the future of the Suffolk County Police Department and what we can accomplish together.”

In her current role with the FBI, Hart has led and directed the operations and investigations of 115 FBI special agents, task force officers and support personnel. She supervises the Long Island gang task force, and spearheaded the first multi-agency MS-13 Intelligence Center to centralize and facilitate the sharing of gang intelligence, with enhanced collaboration between the FBI, Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Nassau County Police Department, and local governments.

According to the county Hart oversees complex investigations that include public corruption, white-collar crime, terrorism, counter-intelligence, child exploitation, and cyber crimes. Hart is also actively engaged in liaison activities, such as providing active shooter training opportunities for Nassau and Suffolk School Superintendents, houses of worship, and the first FBI Teen Academy in Central Islip and Brentwood. Her leadership abilities were recognized at the highest levels as the recipient of the 2015 Director’s High Impact Leadership Award, which is given to a select number of individuals in the Bureau based on an anonymous survey among their peers who rank them for superior leadership abilities.

Officials said that as an FBI case agent, Hart, in 2005, worked closely with Suffolk Police to investigate two former NYPD detectives who secretly worked as mafia associates on behalf of the Lucchese crime family. The investigation led to the indictments of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, who were ultimately convicted of committing murder and disclosing sensitive law enforcement information to mob bosses.

In 2012, Hart was promoted to supervisory special Agent to supervise a task force comprised of FBI Special Agents and NYPD detectives investigating the Genovese, Colombo, and Bonanno crime families. In January 2014, these investigations resulted in the takedown of five organized crime members for murder, one tied to the Lufthansa heist at John F. Kennedy Airport, along with a body that was identified and dug up dating to the 1970s. Hart also directed large-scale investigations into allegations of corruption at the District Council and local union level, which resulted in successful prosecutions.

Hart received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Francis College and Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law.